Dog Worms

The four most common dog worms that are intestinal parasites are roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, and whipworms. Common symptoms of worms in dogs include diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss, and anemia. This page looks at these canine worms and how to provide health care to dogs with worms.

Worms in dogs - not exactly a pleasant topic at the dinner table... Unfortunately, they are a common experience for our dogs.

It may be revolting to think about it, but the truth is, intestinal parasites such as worms are more common than we would like to think - they exist even in many healthy adult dogs, though many of such parasites pose relatively little or no harm to the dog hosts.

There are however some species of dog worms that can wreak havoc to dogs - especially to puppies or dogs with compromised immune and digestive systems.

A majority of puppies (and, for that matter, kittens) are infested with intestinal worms when born. They got these worms in vitro from their mothers. As the immune systems of very young pups are not mature and thus not strong enough to fend off worms and other parasites, they tend to be infested by worms easily.

Other dogs who are more prone to worm infestations include those living in crowded and less desirable conditions, such as rescued dogs.

If you suspect that your dog has worms, it is essential to take her to the veterinarian so that a fecal analysis can be done to find out what worm your dog has and how serious the infestation is.

Common symptoms of worms in dogs include digestive problems, such as:

Diarrhea
Vomiting
Gastrointestinal disturbances

As the worms are competing with the dog for nutrients, you will also notice such symptoms as:

Weight loss
Stunted growth
Anemia

Finally, worms can cause discomfort (e.g. itching) to dogs depending on where they are. For example, segments of live tapeworms can come out of the dog's gut via the anus. This causes itching to the dog, who will most likely scratch, particularly around the base of his tail, or scoot on the floor. Larvae of some worms (e.g. hookworms, roundworms) may migrate to the dog's lungs, causing the dog to develop a cough.

There are four common types of worms that are intestinal parasites:

Tapeworms
Roundworms
Hookworms
Whipworms

(Heartworm is another type of parasite but these worms do not live in the dog's intestines. Please see our page on Treating Heartworm for more information.)

Dog Worms - Tapeworms

Tapeworms are commonly found in dogs. They can be transmitted by fleas, food sources, or feces.

Although the appearance of tapeworms is revolting, they are seldom a big threat to our dog's health. We will not even notice that our dog has tapeworms unless our vet has a fecal analysis done. Sometimes, however, we can see body segments of the worms on our dog's feces or on the hair near the anus.

If our dog is healthy and has a strong immune system, tapeworm infestation is usually short-term and harmless.

Visit our page on Tapeworms in Dogs for more information about canine tapeworms.

Dog Worms - Roundworms

Roundworms are the most common dog worms - they are especially prevalent in puppies (over 95% of puppies are born with roundworms). These puppies acquire roundworms from their mothers, and infestation can only be detected by fecal analyses. Roundworms can pose a more serious threat to the health of puppies. In serious cases, they may cause illnesses and even death.

Visit our page on Roundworms in Dogs for more information about canine roundworms.

Dog Worms - Hookworms

Hookworms are not as common as tapeworms and roundworms but they cannot be overlooked. Hookworms can be transmitted to puppies in the same way as roundworms.

The worms are very small and are difficult to be detected. Heavy infestation of hookworms poses a serious health problem to puppies since the worms attach to the intestinal walls and suck blood.

Visit our page on Hookworms in Dogs for more information about canine hookworms.

Dog Worms - Whipworms

Whipworms usually affect young adult dogs. Persistent, watery diarrhea is a sign of prolonged infestation, which may cause severe intestinal distress to the dog. Diagnosis of infestation is by fecal analysis.

Visit our page on Whipworms in Dogs for more information about canine whipworms.

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Dog Worm Treatment

Since roundworms, hookworms and whipworms can cause great distress on our dog's intestinal and immune systems, fecal analyses and, if infestation is confirmed, deworming is recommended. After deworming, milder alternatives, such as herbs or minerals, can be added to our dog's food to keep the intestinal parasites in check.

However, since deworming involves the use of rather strong chemicals which may put additional stress on our dog's body, it is not advisable to use such a program to get rid of tapeworms, which are generally harmless. Try the milder herbal and other natural alternatives suggested in our page on tapeworms. They are more gentle on your dog.

Health Care for Dogs with Worms

A dog with worm infestations is very often weak due to malnutrition (the worms rob the dog of a lot of essential nutrients) and/or anemia.

It is therefore important to replenish the supply of essential nutrients to strengthen up the dog's immunity.

Diet

While your dog is being treated for worms, it is essential to feed him foods that are nutritious. A diet high in protein and fat is desirable (e.g. 40% of the diet should come from meat or eggs). Add a bit of olive oil to the dog's food for fat supply.

Some intestinal parasites (e.g. hookworms) can remove large amounts of blood from your dog, making him anemic. To replenish the all-important iron that is lost in the blood, give him raw organic liver once daily for two to four weeks.

Improve Digestion

To ensure that your dog digest his foods properly so that he can absorb most or all the nutrients in the foods, it is advisable to feed him supplements of digestive enzymes and probiotics.